Usyk retains heavyweight crown after controversial stoppage of Verhoeven

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Oleksandr Usyk retained his WBC heavyweight title in dramatic and controversial fashion after stopping former kickboxing world champion Rico Verhoeven in the 11th round during a thrilling showdown staged at the iconic Pyramids of Giza in Egypt early Sunday.

The highly anticipated crossover heavyweight clash delivered high drama from the opening bell, with Verhoeven stunning boxing fans around the world after dominating large portions of the fight against the previously unbeaten Ukrainian champion.

Despite entering the bout as a heavy underdog, the Dutch kickboxing legend repeatedly troubled Usyk with his size, physicality and power punches, forcing the heavyweight champion into one of the toughest nights of his professional career.

Verhoeven shocked observers early in the contest after taking the opening rounds with aggressive combinations and powerful right hooks that repeatedly pierced Usyk’s defence.

At several stages of the fight, commentators suggested the Ukrainian champion was trailing badly on the scorecards as Verhoeven continued to press forward with relentless pressure.

The Dutchman’s physical approach appeared to sap Usyk’s energy, with the Ukrainian struggling to establish his usual rhythm and movement inside the ring.

By the middle rounds, Verhoeven’s confidence had visibly grown as he landed several clean shots that rocked the heavyweight champion and electrified the crowd gathered beneath the historic pyramids.

However, Usyk gradually began to recover momentum in the later rounds, increasing his work rate and landing more accurate combinations as the fight approached the championship rounds.

The dramatic turning point came in the 11th round when Usyk unleashed a sharp right uppercut that sent Verhoeven crashing head-first toward the corner.

Although Verhoeven beat the referee’s count and appeared ready to continue, the official waved off the contest with only a second remaining in the round, sparking immediate controversy inside the arena and across social media.

Many boxing observers questioned the timing of the stoppage, arguing that Verhoeven remained competitive and had effectively survived until the bell.

The controversial finish overshadowed what had been a remarkable performance from the Dutch fighter, who exceeded expectations in his first major professional boxing appearance against one of the sport’s elite champions.

The event also featured major title fights on the undercard, with England’s Hamzah Sheeraz stopping Begic to win the WBO super-middleweight title, while Jack Catterall outclassed Giyasov to capture the WBA welterweight title.